Weaving shapes versus weaving line-by-line

Some of you will be surprised that tapestry weavers weave a line at a time at all! There are reasons to weave this way and I spend a fair amount of my own weaving time using this method.

How do you know whether you should weave a shape at a time or line by line? There are reasons for both and the truth is that you’re probably going to use both methods depending on your design and the equipment you’re using.

This is the topic of the Tapestry Discovery Box which opened on October 15th. The box is a collaboration between myself and Gist Yarn. Gist produces a lovely tapestry yarn called Array and every quarter they’ll send you 7 new colors of this yarn chosen by me along with access to an online course which uses the yarns to address a few tapestry techniques.

The image below is one of my examples for this quarter’s box. While I demonstrate weaving parts of this tapestry I show how to build up the shapes in a way that keeps the fabric of the tapestry stable as well as using split weft outlines to make smooth edges to the shapes.

One of the projects I’ll use for demonstration in this Tapestry Discovery Box.

I offer several project suggestions with cartoons in each box. Many people choose one of those projects to weave and then weave their own variation. Some people weave a design which is completely different from my examples. Additionally, each quarter contains several videos of instruction and opportunities for real-time gathering online. As in all my classes, you can ask questions at any time and interact with your fellow students in the course platform. Perhaps most marvelously, you also get 7 new colors of Gist Array yarn each quarter shipped right to your door!*

If you’re already a member of the Tapestry Discovery Box, have you enjoyed the process? Let us know in the comments!


*If you are in the UK and want to participate in this box, please email me with the subject line “UK Tapestry Discovery Box.”

I really like the format of this course. The exercises take me out of my comfort level and make me try new things. And I really like the different colors. So many of the colors I would never have acquired on my own.
— Meg M.